Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1887-02-11
ARrEsIAN WELLS.


1t is herewith appended:
/ do not believe that what has
been done around Carson can be
taken as fair example of what can
be accomplished by sinking artesian
wells. The theory of artesian wells
is that they cut water seams in
stratified rock dipping into the
ground. As the Sierra Nevada and
other ranges around Carson are in
general not strati6ed, but eruptive
rocks, having no continuous seams
Of any great extent to carry water
down into the ground, one can
hardly expect to strike any great
flow there by sinking artesian wells.
The case is different in Southern
Nevada, where there are great
ranges of stratified rocks, with low
valleys and hot climate. In many
places there the chances of getting
artesian water are very good, and
when got it might be used to raise
crops that need a warm climate and
pay to raise on comparatively ex-
pensive land, such as grapes, to-
bacco, etc. la California artesian
water is not found everywhere In
paying quantities. They have at
intervals "artesian BELTS Nevada
should encourage search for such
'artesian belts. F"
Nevada has flowing into the
Truckee, Humboldt, Carson and
Walker rivers, during high water
stage and going to waste in Pyra-
mid, Winnenscea, Humboldt, Car
son and Walker lakes, enough
water to irrigate 5000 square miles
of land. A part of this food might
be saved by storage. Experience"
thinks this impracticable, except in
a few cases. Why should not Ne
vada investigate those few cases
and bring them to notice, SO that
capital may be induced to utilize
them? For example, Walker river
runs through Mason Valley, where
the farmers have prospered, and
where there is plenty Of room for
more farmers; but already, through
the growing season, water is scarce,
while each year enough water runs
to waste into Walker Lake to irri-
gate 100000 acres. I am told by
the Hon. j. B. Gallagher, residing
in Mason Valley, and well-informed
on the subject, that up towards the
head of Walker river there are two
lakes aggregating about twenty
square miles in area, whose outlets
might be damned and water stored
there during the floods for use in
the dry season. Assuming that
these lakes were raised Eve feet by
dam they would impouod enough
water to irrigate $4,000 acres of
land. To definitely ascertain what
could be done at these lakes or
elsewhere on Walker river would
require a preliminary survey, which
should not cost more than 81 800.
In like manner, there are said to
be opportunities for storage of
water near the sources of the Car
son, and everyone knows there is
much good land along that river
that emily needs water. bitches
have been taken from the Hum
boldt and Truckee, and others pro-
jected. AS the land in these river
valleys has all been surveyed by
the General Government and the
State of Nevada has the maps, it
will be easy to make map showing
the bitches already dug, and lands
already irrigated; also what lands
might be irrigated by practicable
works. Walker River Valley misht
be examined first, Carson Valley
next year, and so on. About $4,000,
rightly used, would in three or four
years give a very good idea of the
facilities for irrigation in the State.
I know there is a proposition to
ask the General Government to do
this work. But Congress may say
that river and harbor appropria
tions are in aid of commerce and
navigation and concern the whole
nation, while this is exclusively
State improvement. Nevada has
received grants OF over 1000, 900
acres, and to ask the Government
to investigate the water problem is
like asking it to improve the lands